there is much criticism of society today; many people think the world is at its worst, of all times. yet on the other side, this is ridiculed, and said this was the way old people always thought that the times get worse, that everything gets more bleak each decade.
so, who is correct? did things are actually got worse - or is this just an illusion, a false feeling?
well, yes. there is a tangible thing, that got worse as time went on. that was worse in the 70s than it was in the 60s. that was worse in the 80s than it was in the 70s. that was worse in the 2000s than it was in the 90s. and i feel, that most of the problems of todays society, political, cultural, and otherwise, are connected with it, that it is the root of these others problems.
this is society's stance on all things intellectual; on the mind, logic, reason, knowledge.
this is what got worse; worse by each decade; anti-intellectualism in the west grew; and is by now a violent disease of society.
what value has the intellect, the mind anymore? generally?
in a social group, who will - most of the times - generate more interest, get more attention - the rich one with cars and luxury, or the one who spends his free time on attaining knowledge? the "bookworm" is often found at the lowest rank of a social setting - while the rich one, even if he has "a lack of brains" is at the highest. because anything intellectual is not valued anymore.
oh, it is valued - but as a tool. the one who uses his knowledge to gain lots of money is respected. but the one who longs for knowledge for knowledge's sake - who wants to use it to spread further knowledge - is not.
wisdom, intelligence, knowledge is not valued much anymore. not for itself. it is, the intellect is, even hated most of the times, tried be driven away, to be chased off.
we can see that in the field of politics. what is the main claim against equality of gender, sexual orientation, color of skin? that it's "intellectual". 'oh, in theory, your wishy-washy liberal ideas might work. but this is just intellectual hogwash. in the real world, it will not work'. what the reactionaries and conservativists say most of the time is basically - 'you people *think* too much. you overthink things. *normal* people know race, gender barriers are a solid part of society.'
this common reminder - not to "overthink" - as they call it - issues and just leave everything as it is, is one of the main barriers against social change.
also, look at the world of art. modern, experimental art is largely discredited now by many people. again, the claim is that the creators "overthink" things, are "too up in their heads", and a call for more simple, 'easy to swallow' art is made - for kitsch, and mainstream consumer boredom.
yes, intellectual art is still made - but the backlash against it in society is seemingly growing each day.
the movies, paintings, books, music that reaches the masses usually are at its most simplistic, uninspired now.
i could go on in other fields of life - but i think mentioning the social, the political and the cultural already covers a wide enough field - try to think of similiar things in other areas, and take a look, if there is not anti-intellectualism again behind the problem.
the intellectual, that of the mind, of knowledge and spirit is not valued anymore. this is the tendency of western civilization for a while now - maybe even for centuries.
related to this is also how values, morals, ideas are disregarded now - but which i don't mean "the old values" but values such as free society - for they are too more part of the intellectual, than of direct, plain existing things such as money or luxury.
what is to be done? this would be a different subject, that would take a long time to ponder on.
it is of course necessary that this developement is to be fought on any level, with any strength that is available; in ones immediatey social envioment, just as in society at large.
yet, apart from this, there is also a glimmer of hope. i have expectations that the pendulum might swing in the other direction again soon. in this decade, there is a tendency that the intellectual and rational is more valued. the strong interest in anything science again, by the media and people. the interest in books, philosophy, rational discourse. even the growth of "nerd culture" could maybe be related to this, as this is a way also a celebration of intellectal things as opposed to the tangible, direct.
so, times might get better again. very soon. yet, our fight is started, and the fight is on.
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